HD Kumaraswamy sees 'major national role' for father Deve Gowda in new government

Former prime minister and Janta Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader Deve Gowda might have pulled himself out of the Opposition’s prime minister race after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, but his son and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kuamraswamy sees a national role for father in the new government. Predicting a coalition government, Kumaraswamy said that his father Deve Gowda has experience to run the administration and he will play a major role as there will be no BJP government after the Lok Sabha elections.

"He is (Deve Gowda) a good administrator and experienced. He has experience in his political career. He is better than everybody, according to me. But he's not interested now. He has already projected name of Rahul Gandhi (for PM). He's going to advise Rahul ji for good administration," the Karnataka chief minister told ANI news agency when asked about national role for his father.

Praising his father's administration prowesses, Kumaraswamy claimed that during his father's 10-month rule as the prime minister, there were no clashes between India and Pakistan and no bomb attack happened in the country.

"When my father (HD Deve Gowda) was PM for 10 months, did any terrorist activity take place in this country? Did any terrorist activity go on at the India-Pakistan border? Entire country was in peace at the time when my father was the PM," he said.

Earlier on Friday, Deve Gowda, who served as the 11th Prime Minister of India from 1 June 1996 to 21 April 1997, had said that he was no more interested in the PM post and favoured Congress president Rahul Gandhi for the top job.

"I am not bothered about this (being PM again). My concern is (Narendra) Modi will come to Parliament. I have got the guts and conviction to tell it to the face of the PM. I have the courage. If Rahul Gandhi becomes the prime minister, I will sit by his side. It is not necessary to become the prime minister," he had said.

Deve Gowda's party JD-S is fighting the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka in alliance with the Congress party. His son HD Kumaraswamy is also running the coalition government with Cognress in the southern state.